UFC 117 medical suspensions go to 14 fighters, five could be sidelined six months

The pain that hampered UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva’s final weeks of preparation for Chael Sonnen was indeed a damaged rib, and it may keep him out of action for up to six months.

Silva was among 14 fighters medically suspended following UFC 117, which took place Aug. 7 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) recently requested and today received the list of medical suspensions from the California State Athletic Commission.

CSAC doctors suspended the middleweight champion for six months or until he produces X-ray evidence that a possible fractured rib is healed. Regardless, Silva is suspended 45 days with no contact during training for 30 days for precautionary reasons. He also needs neurological clearance and a CT scan before he is allowed to fight again.

The dual suspensions are the result of the champion’s toughest title defense yet, one in which Sonnen dominated for four-and-a-half rounds with brutal ground and pound before Silva was able to cinch a triangle choke in the final minutes of the 25-minute bout.

Sonnen, meanwhile, did not escape unscathed. Although he did most of the damage, he drew a 60-day suspension with no contact for 60 days as the result of a facial laceration.

Co-main-event fighters Thiago Alves and Jon Fitch walked away from their second fight without injury, though Fitch took home bragging rights with another victory over the Brazilian welterweight.

Lightweight Rafael Dos Anjos sustained one of the event’s most serious injuries when his jaw was broken during his main-card fight with Clay Guida. Dos Anjos is suspended for six months and needs a clean CT scan before he is cleared to fight.

Other suspensions included:

Junior Dos Santos: suspended 60 days with no contact for 60 days due to a right-cheek laceration

Roy Nelson: suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons

Dustin Hazelett: suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons; also needs a new physical before his next fight

Phil Davis: suspended for 180 days with no contact for 180 days or until cleared by a physician due to a possible right fifth-metacarpal (pinky-finger) fracture.

Charlie Brenneman: suspended 45 days with with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons; also needs a new physical before his next fight

Tim Boetsch: suspended 180 days with no contact for 180 days or until cleared by physician due to a possible right-thumb fracture; regardless, suspended 60 days with no contact for 60 days due to a left-facial laceration

Todd Brown: suspended 60 days with no contact for 60 days due to a laceration or until cleared by a physician

Stefan Struve: suspended 60 days with no contact for 60 days due to a lower-lip laceration

Christian Morecraft: suspended for 180 days with no contact for 180 days and also needs a CT scan of his brain; regardless, suspended 60 days with no contact for 60 days due to a right-eyebrow laceration (can be cleared early by a physician) and suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons

Dennis Hallman: suspended 60 days with no contact for 60 days or until cleared by physician for left-cheek laceration

Ben Saunders: suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons

For more on UFC 117, including the night’s official results, check out the UFC Events section of MMAjunkie.com.
(Pictured: Chael Sonnen)